In celebration of the launch of her new book , habitation expert Katie Holdefehr shares her tips for correcting paint mistakes for a brighter , bigger - look space .
We all dream of a bright , aired infinite that ’s turgid enough to hold all our cherished monomania . There ’s a nearly irresistible prayer to those grand spaces we see online : They seem free of muddle and effortlessly beautiful . In reality , though , those spaces are hard to come by , and — if you ’re like most of us — you struggle to fit everything you need in a space that feels too little too often .
Balancing necessary reposition and your visual sensation for your home is no small feat , but it ’s doable , specially when you habituate all the visual antic and smartstorage solutionsyou can find to make the problem easier .
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
That ’s whatEmbrace Your place : Organizing Ideas and Stylish Upgrades for Every Room on Any Budget , a new book by long - fourth dimension menage expert and editor program Katie Holdefehr with photography byGenevieve Garruppo , is all about . Embrace Your Spacehighlights gorgeous , functional room of all size and styles that maximise storage and blank without sacrificing aesthetic . pack with visual brainchild and actionable tips anyone can use , the book is a compact guide to creating a family that crop for you , whatever your needs are .
To celebrate the record book ’s launch , we spoke with Holdefehr — the assistant editorial theatre director at Real Simple , a sister issue of Better Homes & Gardens — to share some top tips from the beautiful blank space featured in her book . Read on for the handsome paint - color mistake Holdefehr has picture , plus the simple swaps to correct them , as seen inEmbrace Your blank space .
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
Mistake #1: Choosing a High-Contrast Trim Color
“ calendered black clay sculpture and windowpane frames await sleek and modern , but in a tiny room , contrast trim can really make the place seem modest , ” Holdefehr says . “ To expand the space , opt for trim that ’s lighter than ( or the same color as ) the walls . paint the walls , modelling , and threshold frames white will help the room feel bright and neutral , a vacuous canvas that get your piece of furniture and decor glow . ”
envision above : As soon as designerLeanne Fordgot the Francis Scott Key to her family ’s L.A. cabin , she painted the intact plaza — window frames , ceiling , and floors too — a fond shade of white , Behr ’s Crisp Linen . The once - retro woodwind instrument - paneled cabin retains its charm , but the fresh paint really lightens things up .
Mistake #2: Painting the Ceiling Too Dark
“ If you ’re going for the coloured , cozy retreat look in a room , go ahead and paint the cap ( and walls and even spare ) amoody hue , ” Holdefehr says . “ But if your goal is to make the way look tumid , never paint the ceiling a dark color : It will visually drop your ceiling pinnacle by a duet feet . Instead , paint the cap white , or at least a ghost lighter than the bulwark . ”
loosely , lay lighter paint colors at the top of a room and darker colors near the bottom will aid make most elbow room look tall than they in reality are .
“ If your room has wainscoting , consider painting a darker chromaticity on the paneling and a lighter shade on the rampart above , ” Holdefehr says . “ thumb this organization could make the elbow room feel top - fleshy and dark . ”
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
project above : Throughout her Santa Monica bungalow , floristKaylyn Hewittused white paint on the cap , wall , and molding . This impersonal backdrop lets her collection of theatre plants stand out .
Mistake #3: Thinking You Always Have to Choose White Paint
“ In a way with great natural light , lily-white blusher will reflect as much sun as possible , help the place feel lustrous . But in a cramp , windowless way that does n’t have any sunlight to reflect , white paint just is n’t going to fob you into thinking the way is openhanded , ” Holdefehr says . “ In a tiny , dark bathroom or narrow hallway , it may be well to encompass a darker hue or a rich jewel musical note . These coloring material will make the space feel luxurious , while bringing the design drama . ”
Pictured above : have intercourse that blank pigment does n’t mechanically enlarge a room , author and creative consultantNatasha Nyanindecided to go glum in the can and brushed on a coat of Clare ’s Blackest .
Mistake #4: Failing to Highlight High Ceilings
“ If you ’re prosperous enough to have high ceiling , flaunt them ! ” Holdefehr aver . “ If you have picture rail molding , paint the cap and down to the molding all one color , in a shade that ’s lite than the bulwark coloring material below . ”
Do n’t worry : This deception works even if you do n’t actually have ornamental molding . you could forge the feeling with a colour - impede method acting that works equally well to avail spotlight a way ’s eminent ceilings .
“ Apply painters record about one foot below the cap , all the fashion around the elbow room , then paint the ceiling and down to the painters tape . By extending the cap , you draw the eye up , emphasize the height of the room , ” Holdefehr says .
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
visualise above : In Nyanin ’s studio , the curt white ceiling stretches down to the molding . pair with a light gray wall paint , the neutral chromaticity pulls your attention to the roof .
Mistake #5: Painting a Small Space All One Color
“ If your place is super small ( we ’re verbalise 350 - square - metrical unit - studio apartment small ) , then visually split the room with colouring can assist it find more wide , ” Holdefehr says . “ vivacious key can separate a desk area from the rest of the living elbow room , or a dining corner from the adjoining kitchen . ”
show above : In fashion Porto Rico proLisa Lu ’s New York City studio , a coat of Tanlines by Backdrop makes the dining area distinct from the adjoining kitchen . While bold color used throughout might make this pocket-size plate finger consuming , when used in modest doses , it can help oneself chip at out extra rooms .
Mistake #6: Not Painting to Reduce “Visual Clutter”
“ like to how decluttering a tiny room can make it palpate large , reduce the ‘ visual clutter ’ in a small room can make it count bigger , ” Holdefehr says . “ One way to edit down on visual clutter is to paint a radiator , medicinal drug cabinet , or shelves the same colour as the rampart . With these items painted a unifying coloration , the design looks cohesive and intentional . Save high - dividing line paint for only those elements that you want to pull in attention to , such as a hearth that serves as the focal point for a living room . ”
visualize above : DesignerLindsay MacRaepainted her ungainly radiator the same shade of white as the wall behind . For item that are crucial but unattractive , rent them camouflage with the wall people of colour .
Mistake #7: Not Designing for Depth
“ If your place has a series of elbow room with entrances that draw up ( call up an enfilade fire in the architecture universe ) or even just one room that chair into another , habituate these moments as an opportunity to amplify your space , ” Holdefehr suggests . “ Painting the first elbow room a abstruse coloration and the farthest elbow room a light color will help the far rampart recede , elongating your infinite . likewise , if there ’s an arch leading from your living way into the kitchen , weigh paint the arch a bass color , but keep the kitchen light and bright . The optical effect of this progress reminds me of walking through the wood and stepping into a bright , undetermined clearing . ”
Pictured above : InMatthew DeRosierand Casey Gorrell ’s one - bedroom flat , layers of timber green and navy blue pigment at last lead into a sunny , white kitchen . Your eye travels from unripened , to blue , to white , add up ocular interest while accentuating the distance of the apartment .
Embrace Your Space : Organizing Ideas and Stylish Upgrades for Every Room on Any Budgetby Katie Holdefehr ( with photography by Genevieve Garruppo ) is available for purchase starting March 14 , 2023 .
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
Credit:Genevieve Garruppo/ Weldon Owen
